The story behind the dish: cha siu bao

Dim sum dishes are always a huge hit, but do they ever get better than the classic cha siu bao? Light, fluffy and full of show-stopping flavour, these tiny little buns are the highlight of any meal. Perfect for snacking on the go, staring in a dim sum platter, opening a meal, or even serving on the side, there's not much that cha sui bao can't do. And to enjoy this authentic Chinese dish in the city, head toDim Dim Sum.

A Cantonese classic

These little delights go way back in our culture. Some historians even say that say that Zhuge Liang – the infamous prime minister during the Three Kingdoms period – created this delicious dish around 200 AD. And he was obviously onto something, because we're still ordering them today. It's safe to say that cha siu bao have stood the test of time – and emerged victorious.

Although cha siu is a dish in its own right, but this barbecued pork really comes to life when bundled into a doughy bun.

When you order a cha siu bao dim sum dish, it can come cooked in one of two ways. When they're baked, they come with a soft brown glow and look gorgeously glazed. But, they more traditional form of cooking involves the process of steaming. The result? Light, delicate and fluffy white dumplings that are super squishy and go down a treat.

They love their steamed porky dumplings over in Hawaii too, where they whip up some manapua, translating to 'delicious pork thing'. And if there's ever a way to describe a cha siu bao, that'd be it.

Also referred to as a pork bun, the little parcels are traditionally packed with slow cooked pork tenderloin. But it's the sauce that's the real star of the show here, a rich mixture of hoisin and oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sherry, sesame seed oil, sugar and soy sauce. Mixed with the meat, cooked in style and sealed inside the fluffy steamed dough, it's easy to see why cha siu bao are so moreish.

Known for their killer dim sum dishes, authentic recipes and larger than life flavours, if you're yet to try out a traditional cha siu bao, take your first taste at Dim Dim Sum. The dough is dense but delicate, the pork is swimming in sauce and the combination really creates magic in your mouth.

When you want dim sum for dinner and only fluffy cha siu bao will do, make an order fromDim Dim Sum withDeliveroo.